Friendship that started with music
by FreckledBrunette
Summary: As Merlin cleans old memories flood though him. Arthur finds out something new about his servant. No slash. Non-reveal. One-shot. Hope you like it! please R&R! I don't own Merlin


**I know I don't usually do prompts, but I thought why not. So I asked some people I like for some. This particular one came from a prompt from Aaronna. Hope you like it!**

 **Italic is the past.**

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Merlin had somehow gotten stuck cleaning the music room. He didn't think of it as being stuck though, he had always loved music. It was rather nice seeing things that reminded him of Ealdor. An old musician had passed by his village and fell in love with it's peaceful life there. He stayed a few years before he was called away.

It wasn't until Merlin finished and was a bout to leave when he saw it.

A panpipe and a wooden flute, lying side by side.

See the old musician had a son, but he died of lung fever when he was only six. The musician told Merlin stories or the pranks his son pulled on him, his little Tommy. He took a liking to Merlin, who was about the age of Tommy when he died. He taught Merlin the panpipe, until Merlin was as good or better than him.

What Merlin hadn't known at the time, was that he had taken a liking to the troublesome Will also. Merlin hadn't even tried to be friends with Will, he just assumed he was like the rest of the cruel children. The musician knew better, and when it was time for the man to leave Ealdor and the two boys, who had become like sons, he knew he must do something to help them. There must be someone to look out for them when he no longer could. So he came up with a plan, they would look after each other. And they always did.

Merlin smiles as he remembers the man, and brushes his fingers over the panpipe. Pausing, he picks up the flute with a shaky hand. Running his palm over the smooth wood, he remembers.

 _Five year old Merlin sighs and smiles fondly, leave it up to that old coot to give me something like this to do. Merlin was stomping through the forest with his panpipe in hand. Merlin stopped as he came to the agreed clearing, and picked a tree._

 _"A tree he said," Merlin mutters to himself, "then you pick a tree, little Merlin, and clime it. I want you to play for at least and hour Merlin, in the tree. You must be in a tree." Merlin rolls his eyes, "why do I have to be in a tree? It would make much more sense to practice down there." Merlin was half way up the tree, despite his grumbling._

 _Merlin loves to play his instrument, though his complaining. It gives him an out from all the rejection from the other children. Just for a moment when he was playing, he was at peace. There was no worry of anyone finding out about him, no guilt for burdening his mother, no sadness, just peace. He craved that peace, needed it._

 _He found a nook twelve feet up, and settles into it. He sighs and starts on his scales._

 _After a while Merlin gets over his discomfort and closes his eyes, loosing himself in lullaby he was playing._

 _He started swaying real slow._

 _He was coming to the last verse when his eyes pop open. He could hear the melody of a fast jig float softly on the wind to his ears. Merlin quickly scales down the tree._

 _Merlin raced to the edge of the clearing as his tree had been a bit from it, and stopped at the sight of a small boy sitting on the ground playing a wooden flute. The boy was his age, and had his back to him. "Who are you?" Little Merlin demanded, suspicious._

 _The flute faultered and boy whirled, getting to his feet. "Who are_ you _?" The brown headed boy asked sharply._

 _Merlin tilts his head, then exclaims cheerily, "I'm Merlin!" He had a big grin on his face, showing Will both his dimples._

 _This caused Will to grin also, "Will." Will walked to Merlin with his hand out. They shake hands like they've seen the adults do._

 _"What're ya doing out here?" Asked Merlin._

 _"Practising my flute, it's easier out here in the quiet. Master Ralding showed it to me." Will looked around at the trees wistfully. "What are you doing out here?"_

 _"I'm practicing to," Merlin showed him the instrument, "Master Ralding taught me."_

 _Will looked at him in awe, they had both been taught._

 _Merlin suddenly had an idea and asked shyly, "will you show me that song you were playing? Then I could teach you something I know."_

 _Will taught Merlin to play the jig on the flute. Merlin figured out how to play it on his panpipe and they would play together often. Over the years they became experts on both the flute and the panpipe. The light up hearted jig that caused them to meet always was their favorite. There friendship grew stronger by each day, each year, each song. They were like brothers._

Merlin puts the cool wooden flute to his lips. He closes his eyes, and with tears streaming from under his lids he played his and Wills jig. It will always be his and Will's song.

When the song was over Merlin's tears had dried and he felt happier, like Will was right there next to him again. Merlin lowered the instrument slowly. He opens his eyes and gave a start at what he saw.

Merlin replaced the flute under the stare of a slack jawed Arthur.

Arthur was trying to think of all the ways he can make Merlin play for him.

Merlin gave his brother a sheepish grin.

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 **Not my best but I think I like it. :)**


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